Chapter 14: Guess Who? [Arc.1] (12)

Error!

Error!

Program cannot be applied

Error!

Error!

Program cannot be applied

Error!

This red words kept repeating over and over again in Eru's phone

Eru stared at it for some time before he put it down and sighed

It was another fail, he then thought 'I should ask Samur what's the current situation-'

Knock Knock

Just then, a knock was heard from the door and he thought 'Speaking of the devil'

"Come in"

At his words, Samur opened the door and entered before closing it

Samur was smiling as he said "Hello! How've you been?"

Eru stared at Samur, even though be has his usual smile, Eru could still see that there are sadness in those red irises of Samur

He thought 'Something definitely happened, did someone triggered Samur's memories?'

It was known for all the companions of Eru that only the past memories of Samur could trigger him

It was not just any past, but something that traumatized him and turned him into the current Samur

Eru sighed as he thought he would need to put the question of the situation aside for now

He then asked "Why did you come?"

"Eh, you're so cold you always have that expressionless face, I just wanted to see a friend no?"

"My face has always been like this"

Samur slightly widened his eyes, not because of Eru's reply but because he did not deny when he said the word 'friend'

'Then, does he consider me as a friend or he just doesn't care?'

Samur wanted to ask out of curiosity but instead just smirked as he sat down on the pile of boxes and pulled out his ever-lasting apple

After taking a bite he thought 'Haah, atleast this apple cheers me up~'

Eru stared at Samur who was busy enjoying the apple and thought 'Well, thankfully he finally diverted his attention from the past'

After Eru shifted his gaze, Samur secretly looked at him as his lips curled up and thought 'Aww~ is he worried about me? How sweet I never thought he has such a side'

'You know what, he might not be a bad person afterall, he didn't ask me anything or threw me away'

"Hey, can you let me sleep here for the night?"

"No."

Cough!

Samue held his neck as he choked while eating the apple, he thought as he smiled embarrassingly 'Fuck, who am I kidding?'

'I take back my words'

...

After some minutes, Eru looked at his phone and stood up as he said "I'm going"

Samur looked at him surprised as he asked "Where to?"

"...Just gonna search for something"

"Search for what?"

Eru didn't look at him as he walked towards the door and said nonchalantly "A charger for my phone"

"What?!" Samur was surprised as he jolted up and asked "Is there even a charger here?"

Eru didn't answer and went out

Samur followed behind as he catches up to Eru and said "Even if there is somehow a charger here, is there even a working plug socket in this place?"

Eru: "..."

Samur raised one eyebrow at him as he said "You don't know?"

Eru sighed as he said "There is, that's why I'm going, I wouldn't go if there is nothing to gain"

Samur shrugged his shoulders as he said "You have a point"

...

Minutes later, they arrived at a staircase leading to the third floor

"Ooh now this is getting exciting"

Samur said as his eyes gleamed while smiling foolishly

Eru walked towards it and Samur followed behind

Creak

Unlike the staircase leading towards the second floor from the first floor, this staircase was rough and old as it is also made out of wood

Samur touched the rails and rubbed his fingers, there was a lot of dust

Suddenly, he remembered something and took the chance as he asked Eru

"Hey, by the way is the monsters appearance time only a little?"

"What do you mean?"

"They rarely appeared, the last time I heard it was the, when was it? The first or second day, the moment someone cried"

Eru just stared back at Samur with eyes showing doubt (Even though his facial expression didn't changed)

Samur averted his eyes as he said "Yeah, I was asleep at that time, it's just that I heard someone crying in my dreams when I was about to jump off- *Cough* I mean, you know?"

"But anyway that's not the point, that was the last time I heard it, then now it appeared again"

Eru paused his steps as he asked "Only now?"

Samur rolled his eyes as he said "Cozbi said that it attacked him at the time when the other's also died so it was obvious that he was lying and he is the monster he is talking about"

Eru: "Then why do you think the monster appeared now?"

Samur: "Huh?! Isn't that what I'm asking?!"

Eru: "No, what I meant is why do you think that what appeared today is actually the monster and not something else?"

Samur: "Huh- ohhhh...I get it..."

Whoosh

Samur let out a fake cough in embarrassment as he said "Well, it might be-"

Eru: "You don't know?"

Samur lowered his gaze as his eyes were covered with his bangs making it hard to read his expression

Because of what Irene said earlier, he forgot to ask about the description of the monster that attacked

- It's all your fault! All your fault!

Samur subconsciously clicked his tounge, he peaked at Eru and found that he was still looking ahead the stairs

He let out a sigh of relief in his heart after seeing that as he said with a smile "No, I haven't asked yet Since Miya was badly injured"

Eru: "She's injured?"

Samur: "Uh-huh, also another person died"

Eru thought of something as he asked "What is Miya's condition right now?"

Samur was surprised by his sudden question but answered it and said "I don't think she will wake up any time right now"

Eru: "And Cozbi and Irene?"

Samur: "Hmm, I think they are with together with the old man (Alex), then about Austin, he's probably in his room right now"

"So then, what are your orders?"

Eru: "Go warn Nathan about Cozbi, he would definitely try to kill Miya while he is not there"

Samur: "Heh you're not even gonna deny that you will give me orders?"

Eru stopped his steps as he finally reached the third floor, he then said "Since you yourself already said it why should I deny it?"

"Pfft" Samur let out a low chuckle as he said "You're not wrong haha"

Both of them now examined the third floor, it was similar to the second floor but the difference us that the stairs are at the very end of the left side of the mansion

The third floor is very very dark barely they could see anything as only a single light was working

Fortunately the hallway doesn't seem to be much big like the second floor, but it was still long

Eru pulled out his phone from his pocket as he opened the flashlight

The blue sapphire earrings of Eru flashed from the light of the phone which blinded Samur a little

He thought 'Ah, I forgot he had this on'

As he stretched out his hands to touch the earrings, Eru moved away as he held his earrings

He said coldy "What are you doing?"

Samur flinched at his cold voice, this was the first time he heard him like this

He thought 'Shit, is he angry? I can't tell from his face but his voice definitely says so'

He then awkwardly said "Ah, I just thought it was pretty..."

Eru stared at him coldly before turning around and walked forward

Samur looked at Eru dumbfounded, he thought 'Was that...are those earrings important to him?'

'...Ofcourse, why else would he react like that?'

He sighed as he followed behind him slowly, keeping distance as he asked in a low voice "When will I say it to Nathan?"

Eru was silent for a moment before he said "Tomorrow morning"

Seeing that he was still in a bad mood, Samur decided not to say anything else and silently followed behind him

[Constellation 'Abyssal God' is interested of the past of player 'Eru Frost']

Eru didn't bother to look at it as he was looking straight ahead, not caring for anything else at the moment.

***

In an endless darkness, a person with a smiling mask stared at Eru in the screen

He clenched his hands as it made a cracking sound

Even without seeing his eyes through the hole of the mask, it could be felt just by looking at it that he was staring coldly at Eru.

System1001 watched this from the side as it sighed deeply internally

It thought 'Seriously, this two- *Sigh* forget it. Both are so stubborn'

***

Inside one of the rooms on the second floor Nathan placed his hand on Miya's forehead

He sighed as he shook his head helplessly

It is still not certain if she could wake up, she was now much more paler compared to before because of bloodloss

Leaning back against the wall, he thought for a moment of everything that has happened

Those black slender figures were the same description as Miya said which was also known as the clone that the kid said

If so, then the culprit should be among them at that time which already excluded Samur and Austin

He thought and only one answer came to his head that he has no doubt of

Cozbi

He was the only veteran and has an advantage over them

Nathan closed his eyes as he recalled how Cozbi looked all desperate and angry while fighting those black figures

'Was it all an act or was it- no, it's definitely him no doubt, if so it's either it was not going the way he planned or he was just acting to make him look innocent'

Nathan sighed as he remembered that what Miya said

'The kid probably knew about something that's why he was carefree'

(No, the reason he is carefree is because he seeks death and only focuses on entertaining things not because he knows about the game. Poor them T_T)

He then frowned as he recalled Miya's words about him not telling anyone about it, even to Samur himself

'But, if I don't ask then maybe...'

He looked at Miya before shaking his head lightly and heaved a sigh

Clenching his fist he thought 'I can't'

Click

Just then, he heard the door made a sound

Nathan slowly stood up on his guard as he narrowed his eyes at the door

The door opened slightly, an eye was seen to peak at them before it's pupil shrank and left in the blink of an eye

Nathan was stunned when he saw that, he thought that the one that peaked seemed to be surprised

He then thought that what else would a person be doing here peaking secretly if not to target Miya who was defenseless and unconscious!

He then begun to strode forward to the door when he suddenly stopped as he only grabbed the doorknob

Countless of possibilities then came to his mind like 'What if it comes back while he is gone' or 'Maybe it was just a bait for another to come'

After pondering the pros and cons, Nathan let go of the doorknob and heaved a sigh

Going back to his original position, he closed his eyes while his arms are folded

Opening his eyes later, he muttered "I guess I'll have to stay up for tonight"

***

Slam!

"Fuck!"

Cozbi cussed as he furiously scratched his hair before calming down and fixed up his messy hair infront of the mirror of the bathroom

The mirror has cracks and made it seemed like Cozbi's reflection have two sides of his face

The crack started from his left eye going up and down from the middle of his reflection

Those green eyes showed a dangerous glint as he stared coldy at it

He thought 'Why is that bastard there guarding her?'

'Why did he suddenly changed sides?'

'Is it because she fucking told him the truth?'

'Then she must've known it was a clone'

'So he also knows it, Damn it!'

[Constellation 'God of Lies' is mocking you]

"Tsk" Cozbi clicked his tounge as he glared at the blue screen above him

He shouted "Yeah just laugh all you want fucker!"

[Constellation 'God of Lies' scoffs and rolled his eyes at you]

Just then, Cozbi's system appeared before him as it said [System1972: Why don't you just go and attack both of them, isn't that already considered as two birds in one stone? What are you so afraid of?]

Cozbi heard this words but he flinched at the last sentence of his system

His fingers curled and turned into a fist as his eyes lowered

Why?

What is he afraid of?

- You- you, you've been...deceiving me, this whole time?

- N-No, I...I, I can explain-

- Ah! Get your hands off me!

- Wait-!

Those last memories of Cozbi before he was pulled into this game, to this hell like abyss

Since he was given this name and identity, then he shall carry it out and give them what they want!

He swore in his heart that everyone who made him suffer shall receive greater pain than he did

Thinking about it, he will still have Irene and Alex to manipulate, it will be easy to beat Samur and Austin then if their side decreases it's number

Shoving off his hair he pushed his glasses as he muttered "Let's go"

***

Creak

Eru stopped walking as Samur also did, confused he asked "Why did you stop?"

Eru didn't say anything and instead placed up the light on his phone towards the front

Samur looked ahead to see-

"Dead end...?"

He then looked behind and saw the stairs, it was far from them but not so far for them to not be able see it from the distance

Stroking his chin he muttered "That's strange, why is it shorter in this floor?"

They only passed 6 doors and yet there was already a wall blocking their way

He then looked at Eru and saw that he was calm

But that was not the reason he find him suspicious at this moment

It's because his gaze never left the wall ever since they bumped into it

Samur stared at the wall for some moment, seeing that Eru would not make a move he sighed and said "I'll just go take a look in the rooms"

As Samur entered one of the nearby doors, he took one last glance at Eru before closing it

Whoosh

Now being left alone, seconds later Eru finally moved as he took a step forward

Placing his empty hand on the wall he felt a cool chilly feeling on the wall

Just then, the hand that was placed on the wall slowly got sucked in it

He then tried to move the hand that was sucked in

He was able to move it

His gaze then shifted to the door Samur entered before he moved towards the wall

After his body was pressed on it, he felt a tingling pain but his face still remained indifferent

This was part of his story in the novel

This wall was called [The Wall of Trial]

It might sound ironic and simple where one could think it would be easy to pass, it is not

Once a player passes this test it would automatically give a notification about a hidden task

Currently Eru is stucked in the wall as he tried to move forward but then remembered something as he stopped moving

Once a player entered he or she would not be able to go back or go to the other side of the wall unless they pass

As it's name suggest, it gives you a trial, and the trial it gives is about-

- Fear

Suddenly there was a sound of a female voice, it sounded very seductive as Eru heard the voice laugh

- Fear really makes petty little humans take over their sanity and will

- Making them kill each other

- fufu isn't it lovely to see them kill each other like some kind of animals?!

The voice was very enthusiastic and sadistic as it said this words

There was pleasure and joy as if this were very promising entertainment

Eru's body slightly flinched and the voice didn't missed this as it said

- Aww look how scared and pitiful you are

- All frozen and stuck in this place

- You should've known that there is no way out the moment you step in here hahahaha!

"..." Eru didn't speak as his eyes were closed the whole time before finally, he opened it

His eyes glowed bright as black curly lines appeared on the sides of his lips

- Ah!

The voice gasped as it saw Eru's eyes

It was cold, as it stared at those eyes, it felt like it the abyss it self, cold and dark

There was not even a little bit of fear in those eyes, no...to be more precise, there was no emotion at all

As if the it or the world is nothing to him, like some kind of peasants or even worse insects

The voice shuddered but then got angry

Wasn't it supposed to be the one ouncing fear against any players that enters it trial?

- Heh, you're pretty brave for a mere human, but whatever you'll do will all be in vain-

"Shut up"

Eru's cold magnetic voice was then heard as a heavy sound of friction rang through the voice

The voice couldn't speak and was stunned

Eru didn't care what the voice think of him as he carefully moved his body

The inside of the wall is contrary to what might think, it instead looked similar to a stomach of a person or animal

Red- pinkish organs, slippery and disgusting

As his hands and feet move, the voice became dumbfounded and only came back to it's senses when Eru was about to get out

The voice wanted to provoke him and pull him to despair just as what it was meant to do but unfortunately for it, no sound came out

It felt like horror to it, not only did the player not listened to it's remarks but was nonchalantly going out

This can't be happening...

It can't let it happen!

How can such a despicable human like him who didn't went to the trial technique properly pass the trial?

The moment Eru was about to go through, the surroundings suddenly shook violently and begun to swallow his body

Seeing this, Eru's eyes turned more colder as his body became heavy from the force that is pushing him down

This is not something he can stop just by using his skill

Seeing there's no other way, he sighed and opened his mouth as he said "Talk"

- You despicable human- ugh...?

The voice suddenly paused as it was shocked to find itself being able to talk again

The surroundings also finally stopped as the voice did

Eru originally planned to use it so that it would be much more easier to pass and get on with it

But now, seeing that the voice would do something else in order to stop him, he decided to listen to it's remarks and do the proper trial

'This is troublesome'

The curly black lines disappeared aswell as the glow in his eyes

The voice was once again stunned returned back to it's senses after hearing Eru's voice

"What? Aren't you gonna strat the trial?"

Eru's voice that was magnetic and cold a moment ago turned back to normal

But this didn't change the perspective of the voice on him

Even though it was plain, it felt too plain...as if, he is just talking to a corpse

- You're quite the cunning aren't you?

Seeing Eru's indifferent expression, the voice suddenly lost it's will to try to provoke him instead it had another idea

Wizzzzzz

Suddenly, the surroundings of Eru changed in an instant

A flash of light hit through Eru

Opening his eyes, he found himself in a spacious place

Drip

It was very dark and empty but the floor is filled with water that could only reach his feet

Drip

There was also constant sound of water drops from unknown

Eru couldn't feel any glimpse of wind nor any other sound

It was empty

Closing his eyes he thought 'So it then retort to this huh?'

This was another part of his novel that one of the protagonist had experienced

Since [The Wall of Trial] is a test for fear then it is part of the [Dream]

[Dream] or rather most would probably called 'Nightmare' instead

It was a group of what they would call 'Examiner' or 'Judge'

They are those who each present the Trial that includes illusions

The Eximaner or Judge each have their own groups or categories according to the Trial they control

There are 4 categories known that each Trial belongs to

[Good] [Evil] [Dream] [End]

[Good] Represents the kindness of a player, testing them through ways of life and death wether they would choose someone else to live and they die or for them to live but the other dies

[Evil] Represents the wickedness of a player, in this test they would measure the individual if they are evil, good, or in between

If the player is measured as evil then...

No one knows what happened but it is something no one ever wanted to see

[Dream] Represents trial that contains illusions, no matter what it is, past or ambition, based on what their trial holds, they would show either one of this two

If the player gets overwhelmed or stuck in the illusion then they would be taken away by it and before they knew it, they will slowly die in the illusion until they finally do

Finally, the last one [End] is probably the most terrifying and hardest to deal with

This trials wouldn't appear in such low level games, it would only appear in S - Class above or else if someone accidentally finds it and enters then, it was no doubt the end

No one knows yet what this trial holds, especially that...

No one has ever survived it

Since the novel wasn't finished yet, Eru wasn't able to put on such a scene where one of the protagonist would have to go through such trial.

[The Wall of Trial] is originally an illusion of ambition, it would show all the things the player wanted to achieve ,then...

It would show the destruction of those ambitions, pull the player into despair, make them fear everyone and everything

Doubt, regrets, fear...

It would show all of those and if the player does then fall into it

[Game over]

But now, because of what Eru did, the Examiner changed it

There would only be one thing that would replace the illusion of ambition, it's-

- Why am I still alive?

Drip

Eru slowly opened his eyes as he heard a small voice, it was lifeless

- I don't get it, what is even the purpose of me living?

Looking up slowly, in the distance there was a kid with his head buried on his knees

- I don't...get it...

The kid mumbled, the words sounded sad but at the same time, felt lifeless

Eru's face was covered with his bangs so it was hard to tell his emotions

Clack

Eru slowly moved his feet as he walked forward towards the kid

Drip

For some reason, Eru wasn't able to hear the water splash from his movements but instead only hears the sound of water drops aswell as the lifeless voice of the kid

Drip

Eru stopped infront of the kid and the kid muttered

- Why, just why?

The kid looked up and both of them made eye contacts

Eru looked down coldly at him before reaching out his hand-

- Ah...

This was the complete opposite of the illusion of ambition, this is-

.

.

.

.

.

- illusion of the past.

***

Author: Sorry for late updates my schedule getting more and more tight